Over the weekend we received a patch for an incoming stab wound to the neck. With the patient several minutes away, we had time to check suction, prep the airway bag, draw up intubation meds, and even have the tracheotomy tray ready. Of course, upon arrival, the patient's airway was intact and we discovered the knife had barely broken the skin.
Later in the night, EMS radioed in with a gun shot wound to the thorax. Setting up for chest tubes and breaking out the thoracotomy tray again seemed to ward off serious injuries, as the patient arrived relatively stable.
Obviously, the moral of the story is to never prepare, switch off the radio, and scramble around chaotically in a trauma grab bag every shift.
On a related note, it's really not a good idea to smoke illy/wet. I have no idea what kind of high it gives you, but it makes people do crazy things. Everyone knows PCP, but my illy/wet patients have been found dancing naked in the middle of the street, jumping out windows, or this weekend, trying to jam a butter knife into their necks. Pass on the grass, people.
1 comment:
Is that the stuff where a spectacularly stupid person dips pot into formaldehyde?
(I come from a very sheltered place, and always feel vaguely rediculous asking patients "so...um...4s and doors...what IS that precisely?") :-D
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